[Chapter 5: Another Voice for the Chorus]

     "Ruddy?"

     Oh God... Now what does she want?

     Wait, Olivia's here? How did Jaeger pick her up? Why did the babysitter let him take her? Isn't that against, like, morals?

     "Olivia?" My voice is hoarse, throat raw from the chlorine in the pool.

     "Ruddy, get up."

     A low groan escapes my lips as I pull navy blue covers off my lead-legs. Swinging them over the bed seems to take about ten minutes--I sure hope it actually didn't take that long--and Olivia stand in front of me with a pout on her face as she watches me.

     "What?" I whisper.

     "You take a long time."

     I smile, "Shut your mouth, Livy." I ruffle her hair.

     I suddenly feel light headed, the pain in my chest and abdomen increasing with every move I make. Why can't I just fall asleep and not wake up for another fifty years? Oh, right, because life doesn't work that way.

     My hand falls from her head and hits the bed with a thud. It feels like en elephant is sitting on me. For real.

     "Did Jaeger bring you here?" I question, slowly getting off the bed.

     "JayJay? Yeah. He's a nice boy."

     "Could you go get him for me?" I whisper, closing my eyes and gripping the bed for support.

     "JayJay!" Olivia yells, running out of the room. For such a little girl, she has a big mouth.

     After a few moments of silence, she screams, "JAYJAY! Ruddy wants you!"

     Footsteps hurry to Olivia, I suppose. "Shh. Olivia, I'm right here," Jaeger's voice is soft. "Where's Ruddy?"

     "In that place," Olivia's voice floats into the room, bouncing off the walls and into my ears.

     "Right in here," I whisper.

     I hear heavy and light footsteps nearing, and my knees start shaking. Please, dear little knees, don't let me hit this hard wood floor...

     "Rue?" Jaeger stops a few feet away from me, Olivia's hand in his. How did he manage that?

     "Jaeger, my knees.." I whisper a little too quietly.

     "What? Rue, what's wrong?" Jaeger steps towards me just before my legs give out.

     Jaeger is swiftly there to catch me. There was my knight, catching me before I shatter both kneecaps on a bedroom floor.

     "Rue..." His voice is right next to my ear as he picks me up, soft and concerned. "Are you okay?"

     "Everything hurts," I whine, close to crying.

     "I know," his voice is guilty. He carefully picks me all the way off the floor, but his face is still as close as it was before.

     "I'm sorry," he whispers, very very close to my face.

     "JayJay..." Olivia tugs on Jaeger's sweatpants. "What's wrong with Rud?"

     "She's not feeling very well, Olivia. But she'll be okay, I promise."

     "Pinkie promise!"

     Jaeger shifts my weight to one arm before locking pinkies with my little sister. I smile faintly, resting my forehead on his shoulder.

     "Rue? Do you want to go home?" Jaeger's voice is faint, far away.

     "No," I murmur into his chest. God, he smells so good..

     "What did you say?"

     "No," I mumble after turning my face away from his chest. I moan from the pain in my neck.

     "You need pain med's." Jaeger starts walking out of the room.

     "I can't have any." The world's spinning.

     Jaeger's legs stop moving, "Why not?"

     "I haven't eaten anything for, like, six hours."

     Jaeger sets me down on a soft leather couch, causing me to open my eyes. Soft light fills the room from every corner, making me feel like I was in a browning marshmallow. The couch is enormous, able to fit about ten people on it, not to mention how wide it is.

     "Olivia, honey," Jaeger looks down at Livy. "Are you hungry?"

     "Yes!" She excitedly exclaims.

     Whoa, hold up. Did he call her honey? What, is he my husband now? Actually... That wouldn't bother me one bit.. Would it bother you if you were married to a guy in the human form of the god, Adonis?

     "Would you like ravioli?" His voice is cheerful, trying to steer Olivia away from the fact that I do not feel or look good at all.

     "Yes!" She shrieks, causing me to wince.

     "Shh," Jaeger puts his index finger to his lip. "Why don't you run into the kitchen and ask Rosa where it is."

     "Okay!" She runs out of the room, apparently knowing how to get to the kitchen. I don't even know where the bathroom is.

     Jaeger sits next to me, sighing and putting his head in his hands, "I'm sorry, Rue."

     I nudge him with my wrist, too lazy to actually use my hand. "Shut up."

     "It's my fault. I should have been smarter than to throw--"

     "I said shut up, Jaeger," I hiss. Surprisingly I even sound menacing to my own ears, but that would probably be because my ears are ringing.

     He sits up suddenly, green eyes wide, staring at me.

     "You didn't know I can't swim. I'm fine," my voice is small, not really helping my case.

     "You don't get it, do you?" His soft hands are holding my face up.

     I feel my cheeks heat up, and his smell fills my nostrils. My eye lids flutter, and suddenly I feel tired.

     "You could have died, Rue," his voice is small and sad, "and it would have been my fault. I almost killed you."

     "But you saved me," I whisper.

     His hands drop suddenly, and so does my face. My nose crashes into his arm, and stubborn pain arrives. I rub my nose.

     Jaeger chuckles, "Barely."

     "Shut up," I shoot. "Go help Olivia with her ravioli."

     "Oh, right. I forgot." He stands up and runs his hand through his light brown hair. He quickly walks out.

     I wave him off and sprawl across the couch.

     Idiot.

     He's not an idiot.

     Yes, he is!

     He's sweet and caring and... and..

     And an idiot.

     I finally sigh out loud, losing the argument to myself. My eyelids feel like two thousand pound weights, yet I don't really want to go to sleep yet. Within two minutes, I'm passed out on the couch.



     "Rue."

     A light breeze ruffles my hair, carrying with it the smell of campfires. After prying my eyes open, I find myself in the passenger side of Jaeger's car. I look to the left, but he isn't sitting there.


     "Rue, we're at your place."

     I look up to my right, finding Jaeger leaning against the car, door open, his arms on top of the roof. The sky is a dark blue-purple, fog starting to set in. A street light on the corner of the street shines on Jaeger's back, giving him mysterious shadows on his face as he peers down at me.

    "Well?" He asks.

    "Well what?" I stretch, but instantly regret it.

    "Are you going to get out?"

    I look around, remembering what he said about being home.

     "When did... How did... Why didn't you wake me up?" I unbuckle my seat belt.

     "You looked like you needed the sleep."

     "Where's Olivia?"

     "I already took her inside."

     How did he...

     "How did you know which apartment it is?"

     "Olivia told me."

     Huh.

     "How did you get in? It was locked."

     Jaeger smirks, "Olivia also showed me the key in the closet."

     "Oh."

     Jaeger nods and helps me out, keeping a firm hand around my waist, while my right arm is around his neck. He accidentally drops his keys and reaches down to pick them up. Giving me a perfect view of the Jeep arriving.

     "What time is it?" I ask quickly.

     He grunts as he stands up, "About 8:30 or 9:00. Why?"

     "He's not supposed to be home yet," I whisper.

     Tate's going to freak. Like, badly.

     I flinch as the Jeep door slams, and watch as a menacing Tate charges around the hood.

     "Who are you?" Tate demands of Jaeger.

     "I'm Jaeger--"

     "Are you Rue's boyfriend?"

     "Tate--" I try.

     "Be quiet, Rue." Tate's eyes are burning with fire.

     "Well, no," Jaeger starts, "Sir, but--"

     "Then leave."

     What? You can't just tell someone to leave. Especially when you haven't given then a good reason to.

     "Can I at least help Rue inside?" Jaeger asks in a reasonable tone.

     "Why does she need help inside?"

     "Tate!" I scream. "Shut up!"

     Tate blinks at me.

     "He's going to help me inside, and I swear to God, if you try to argue or do anything, you'll regret it." I was huffing and puffing, way beyond pissed off.

     They both look at me with wide eyes before Jaeger finally picks me up and walks to the front door.

     "Don't yell at him," Jaeger murmurs in my ear.

     "What?" My voice rises. "Why not? I'll--"

     "Shh," Jaeger hushes me as he opens the door. "Don't be so loud."

     I look back to see Tate staying back only about twenty feet.

     "I'll yell at him if I want to!" I whisper.

     "I don't care if you want to," he carefully walks down the steps. "I'm telling you not to."

     "Why shouldn't I?"

     "He might blow up on you. I don't want him to hurt you."

     "How would you know if he'd hurt me? You don't know him."

     "Oh, honey," Jaeger opens the door to my apartment. "I know him."



     Jaeger's words keep replaying in my head.

     Oh Honey, I know him.

     How could he possibly know Tate? Tate is eight years older than him!


     Maybe they knew each other before you came along, I think to myself. Maybe they hated each other before Tate took you in.

     I go over the last hour before I fell asleep.

     I made Tate stay in my room while Jaeger left. Olivia is asleep on the top bunk, murmuring incomprehensible words. Tate is busy glaring at me.


     "What?" I ask.

      "Stay away from him," Tate demands while crossing his arms. His muscles bulge almost on purpose.


     "No," I reply, crossing my own arms. 


     "What did you say?" Tate challenges forward.


     I stare up at him from under my bunk. "You heard me. I'm not staying away from him. He's my best friend."


     "Stay away from him, Rue. I don't want you getting hurt by him."


     I scoff, "That's funny... Jaeger said the same thing about you."


     Tate's jaw clinches. "Listen to me, he isn't who you think he is, Rue. He will hurt you, snap you like a twig. He'll break your heart the first chance he gets."


     "Shut up," I stand up, not caring if my legs were weak or not. "You don't know him. He wouldn't do that. You might, but he won't."


     "You won't even give me a chance," he mutters under his breath.


     I glare at him, nostrils flaring. How dare he talk about Jaeger like that? 


     "You'll give someone you've just met a chance to get inside, to know you," he steps towards me. "You'll give him a chance, but you won't give me one."


     "It's not like you want one, Tate," I back up, my shoulders pressed against the top bunk.


     "The hell I don't." Both his hands are gripping the top bunk on either side of my shoulders. 


     I stare at him, my heart beating faster and breath caught in my throat. He wants to... I don't know, date me? He wants a chance with me? 


     He stares at me thoughtfully before pushing away from me and the bed. "But you won't give me one."


     "You're nine years older than me," my voice is tiny.


     Tate scoffs, "Age is just a number."


     My confidence rises just enough for me to get out, "And jail is just a room."


     He barks a harsh laugh and crosses his arms again, "You have no idea how old I am, Rue."


     "Twenty-six."


     He smirks, "Wrong."


     And he walks out, leaving me to wonder who the hell my "guardian" is.


     Now I'm laying in bed, staring at the bars from the top bunk. The blue light from my alarm clock is cast on me and the underside of the top bunk, but I don't know what time it is. I haven't bothered to check, even though it's not even two feet away from me on the bedside table. My guess is that it's probably around two or three in the morning.

     Tate isn't a bad person, for all I know. Yet neither is Jaeger. I feel like I'm being torn two different directions, but a voice in the back of my head--back in the far right corner, to be exact--is telling me that this hasn't even begun. That this is just a preview of what's yet to come.

     Sometimes I wonder if I could talk to that voice, the one in the back of my head. I sure as hell know it's not me who's talking to myself. I definitely don't have a mysterious deep voice. Maybe it is me... A weird, twisted version of myself, the evil part of me. The part of me dying to take over my body, dying to make me bad.

     Maybe there's a microchip in my brain, and whoever has access to the controls is tapping into my brain. Maybe they know what I'm thinking right now, and they're in the process of getting to the "Abort" button that will blow me to bits.

     My eyes widen at that thought, and I chuckle to myself.

     I'm insane.



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So, I haven't written in about three weeks... MAJOR writer's block, if you ask me. I had originally typed this up on TeenNick.com, but then it got erased. Twice. So this is my third time writing this chapter.
Rue is definitely in a pickle, huh?
Tate and Jaeger both have secrets... Deep, dark secrets. They are just killing to get out.